Toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush includes a handle, a head extending from the handle, and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements, such as tufts of bristles, extending from the head. Each tooth cleaning element is supported for rotation about primarily only one axis. Each tooth cleaning element is rotatable independent of the other tooth cleaning element(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A toothbrush An apparatus, comprising;: 
 a toothbrush handle; 
 a toothbrush head extending from the toothbrush handle; and 
 a plurality of tufts of bristles extending from the head, the tufts of bristles sized such that multiple tufts of bristles are placed beside each other in a direction generally orthogonal to the handle, each tuft of bristles being supported for rotation about only one axis, each tuft of bristles being rotatable independent of the other tuft(s) of bristles one another. 
 
     
     
       2. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tuft has a range of rotation of about 60 degrees. 
     
     
       3. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tuft can rotate about 30 degrees to either side of a vertical position in which the tuft is perpendicular to a top surface of the head. 
     
     
       4. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , further including at least one tooth cleaning element which cannot be rotated. 
     
     
       5. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tuft includes at its non-brushing end a bearing which is substantially cylindrical in shape in its major portion, each bearing being secured in its own hollow space within the head, each bearing allowing rotation of its respective tuft. 
     
     
       6. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the head is made of at least two pieces which are joined together to secure the bearing within the head. 
     
     
       7. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a viscous substance is provided in each hollow space in the head to provide some resistance to rotation of the tufts. 
     
     
       8. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the head limits rotation of each tuft. 
     
     
       9. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tufts are rotated by contact with a portion of an oral cavity. 
     
     
       10. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tuft includes at its non-brushing end a living hinge, each living hinge being secured partially within the head, each living hinge allowing rotation of its respective tuft. 
     
     
       11. The toothbrush apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the axis about which each tuft is rotatable is substantially perpendicular to a long axis of the element tuft. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two or more of the tufts of bristles are disposed in a row extending generally laterally across a long axis of the toothbrush handle.  
     
     
       13. An apparatus comprising:
 a toothbrush head having a longitudinal axis; and   a first group of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head and a second group of a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head,   the elements within each of the groups being of a common type and the type of elements in the first group being different from the type of elements in the second group, and   wherein each of the elements of the first group is nonrotatable, and   wherein each of the elements in the second group is supported for rotation about only one axis and independently rotatable with respect to any other rotatable tooth cleaning element on the toothbrush head, the elements of the second group sized such that multiple elements of the second group are placed beside each other in a direction generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush head   wherein the axis about which each element in the second group is rotatable is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush head.    
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein all of the tooth cleaning elements of the toothbrush are in the first and second group.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first group includes a plurality of tooth cleaning elements.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein each of the elements in the second group is adjacent to at least one of the elements in the first group.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the interproximal residence time of elements in the second group is about 1.6 times or greater than the interproximal residence time of the elements in the first group.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elements in the second group are longer than the elements in the first group.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elements in the second group are made of polymer.  
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein each of the elements in the second group is a fin or tuft of bristles.  
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein each of the elements in the second group is a fin.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of the elements in the first group is a tuft of bristles.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a handle, and wherein the head extends from the handle.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elements in the first group are free of spring bias tending to rotate the elements after deflection.  
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the type of elements in the first group is structurally different from the type of elements in the second group.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the type of elements in the first group is compositionally different from the type of elements in the second group.  
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the type of elements in the first group is structurally and compositionally different from the type of elements in the second group.  
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the elements in the first group are rigidly secured to the toothbrush head.  
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein two or more of elements of the second group are disposed in a row extending generally laterally across a long axis of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
       30. An apparatus comprising:
 a toothbrush head having a longitudinal axis; and   a plurality of tufts of bristles extending from the head, each tuft of bristles being supported for rotation about only one axis, each tuft of bristles being rotatable independent of all other rotatable tuft(s) of bristles on the toothbrush head, the tufts of bristles sized such that multiple tufts of bristles are placed beside each other in a direction generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush head,   further including at least one tooth cleaning element which cannot be rotated.    
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each tuft has a range of rotation of about 60 degrees.  
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each tuft can rotate about 30 degrees to either side of a vertical position in which the tuft is perpendicular to a top surface of the head.  
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each tuft includes at its non-brushing end a bearing which is substantially cylindrical in shape in its major portion, each bearing being secured in its own hollow space within the head, each bearing allowing rotation of its respective tuft.  
     
     
       34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the head is made of at least two pieces which are joined together to secure the bearing within the head.  
     
     
       35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein a viscous substance is provided in each hollow space in the head to provide some resistance to rotation of the tufts.  
     
     
       36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein a portion of the head limits rotation of each tuft.  
     
     
       37. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the tufts are rotated by contact with a portion of an oral cavity.  
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each tuft includes at its non-brushing end a living hinge, each living hinge being secured partially within the head, each living hinge allowing rotation of its respective tuft.  
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the axis about which each tuft is rotatable is substantially perpendicular to a long axis of the element.  
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a handle.  
     
     
       41. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein two or more of the tufts of bristles are disposed in a row extending generally laterally across a long axis of the toothbrush head.